Their Love
by Lychee Green Tea
Summary: This is Jasmine's reason for becoming the Queen of Deltora even though she despised the walls of the great palace of Del.


**Their Love**

During the bright and early hours of the day, when the sun's rays were still new and fresh and the morning dew of the lush grass had not yet vanished, one could always find the young ruler of Deltora striding side by side with some important figure or another with the utmost confidence. On this very day, the king's most trusted and loyal friend was at his side.

"Lief," Barda started, "has talk around the palace reached you as of yet?"

King Lief's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he turned his head to face the chief of the palace guards. The corners of his lips twitched upwards to form a sly smile.

"Do you mean to ask if I have heard the latest gossip?" he asked with amusement.

"Of course not! Men do not gossip!" Barda cried out indignantly, though Lief could catch the smallest shade of pink gracing the muscular man's cheeks.

"My, I wonder what Lindal would possibly have to say to the strong and mighty Barda gossiping as though he were-"

"_Talk_ has been circulating about the palace in regards to a possible queen," Barda interrupted quite loudly.

"Ah, gossip of a queen so that the royal bloodline may continue, I would assume," Lief translated out loud, if only to jest at his friend.

"I only speak of such talk because I have been pestered by many of those vexing advisors whom you appointed," Barda said with an air of petulance, trying to defend his honour.

"Barda, as I have explained, appointing several advisors, as opposed to one single chief advisor, will distribute the power of the kingdom equally so that corruption in one man will not lead to this kingdom's downfall."

"Yes, yes, I know this. I simply do not approve of how you say such words as though you expect treachery in your people," Barda muttered with distaste.

"I only want what is best; I do not wish for history to repeat itself," Lief said with a gentler tone. "There is no harm in being cautious."

"Doom would be pleased with that, no doubt," Barda mumbled more to himself than to Lief. "If you would ask for my honest opinion, I would suggest that there is no need for a single advisor. You are the king, Lief, and I know I speak for all Deltorans when I say that I will follow you until my dying breath."

Barda's words were courageous and spoken by a man with great honour. Lief did nothing to suggest that he had heard the robust man, but after a moment decided to speak.

"I appoint advisors in the case of myself or my heirs succumbing to corruption," Lief finally responded with the solemn tone of a man far older than this young boy.

Barda's eyes widened in astonishment and his lips slowly parted to form a gaping mouth. He would never have dreamed such words to come from a great ruler.

"I...you would never...!"

"There is no harm in being cautious."

And that was the end of that.

Barda sighed and continued with his previous topic. "Am I safe to assume that Jasmine will be our new queen?"

Lief turned around frantically, searching for anyone who might have heard such words. He then turned his attention once again to Barda who was wearing a knowing grin on his face.

"It was quite obvious, Lief. Why else would you have been so cross with me on _The Lady Luck_, back when we were searching for the Sister of the West?"

"_Ah, what fools we were not to divide the gnomes' gold between us! It is all with Jasmine, and who knows where she-"_

"_If you have a better plan than mine, Barda, pray tell me what it is and stop wasting time!" Lief cried furiously._

"I know very well that it was your concern for Jasmine that led to such an explosion of anger," Barda continued knowingly. "You love her, do you not?"

"Yes, I do," Lief responded.

It was not what Barda had expected, for the expression on the king's face was not one that he would imagine from a man in love. Lief's lack of even the smallest of smiles or the way his eyes shone with such sadness were the complete opposite of someone whom should be smitten.

Lief could see the confusion upon Barda, and he simply said, "I will follow Adin's example and marry for love."

With that being said, Lief walked off, for they had reached the great hall where yet another meeting was to be held.

* * *

Later that very day, Lief found himself in the palace gardens seeking solace from the demanding and arduous tasks of running a kingdom. Jasmine stood beside him as they simply gazed at the beauty before them. The gardens were magnificent, with the sun's bright rays illuminating the entire palace. Day by day, the animals of the kingdom grew more and more plentiful, proven by the wonderful music they shared with all.

Lief turned his attention to the wild forest girl that he had come to know so well.

"Are you happy, Jasmine?" he asked in earnest.

Jasmine was startled at the sudden noise, but found her answer quickly.

"Of course I am. The Enemy can no longer influence Deltora and we are at peace. We may have gone through many horrible endeavours to attain such a goal, but it was all worth the trouble. In any case, I would never have met you otherwise," Jasmine replied with her heart, as though the answers she spoke were nothing but obvious.

"I am glad to hear that. Though..." Lief found he had troubles continuing.

"Though...?"

"Would you not be happier in the Forests of Silence?" he at last asked.

"Oh...well, I suppose-"

"I love you, Jasmine, with all my heart and more," Lief confessed abruptly, and they both knew that nothing but the truth escaped his lips. Jasmine was too taken aback to respond.

He reached into one of his pockets and presented to his beloved a beautifully ornate golden necklace, embellished by an emerald gem that must have been a prized treasure for the gnomes once, for it shone with such brilliance that only the emerald in the Belt of Deltora would match it.

"It is customary among my ancestors to bestow a gift upon their future queen, if they would have them. This emerald necklace was given to me by my mother, as she knew that you would take a liking to it. Jasmine, my love for you is the reason that...," Lief paused, taking a deep breath, "that I will not ask you to marry me. I will marry another, as is my duty to bring into being an heir to the throne. I will do this out of my love for you and your desire to be free."

Jasmine's shock did not need to be conveyed in words, for her expression was enough to tell Lief.

"In a way, marrying for love can have a double meaning. I must admit, I envy you for your freedom," Lief began his explanation. "Many a time, you had announced to me that fancy nobles and false words in the form of mannerisms do not suit you, and I know well that palace walls are not good company in the least. Please know that my duty to Deltora binds me to the position as king, but if fate had decided otherwise and I was not the heir to the Belt, I would leave and be at your side in a heartbeat."

"Oh, Lief, you are so silly," Jasmine responded, smiling as she listened to his words. "Yes, I confess that I had once recited those very words, but that claim was made in such a time where I had not yet learned to love you or my friends. In the few but significant years when we journeyed together round Deltora and even in the Shadowlands, I learned something that I value so greatly."

Jasmine could imagine many of her newly acquired friends going about their daily lives in all their splendour and glory. Steven would be riding on his caravan with Mellow in the lead, singing his jolly song that was truly jolly now that the Enemy's grasp on Deltora had come to an end. The Kin would be happily satisfying their hunger with the cones of Boolong trees on Dread Mountain, all the while clearing a path for Gla-Thon and her fellow gnomes around the mountain. Manus of the Ralads would possibly be overlooking plans for a new and brilliant architectural masterpiece.

"It is friendship, love, and trust," she continued. "Filli and Kree had been my only companions for so long that I grew selfish. I had not cared in the least for those beyond my circle of friends. In our many quests, before my eyes were the people of the kingdom, some suffering such sadness and grief that I could not bear, others so happy and joyful that I could not wait to join. It taught me to love them, and all the while my love for you grew just as strong, though I may not have realized it at first.

"I love you and the people of Deltora too much to return to the Forests of Silence where I would remain solitary for my life. I wish to be a part the future and cherish this kingdom as my own, by your side," Jasmine confessed.

Lief could not believe his very ears as the wild girl of the forest he had come to know and love so well suddenly became the woman before his eyes. Although, he mused to himself, such a transformation occurred slowly overtime. He simply just did not notice.

"Now then, King Lief," Jasmine said. "Ask me to marry you."

"Already, your commands come to you as naturally as you speak to the wonders of the forests," Lief jested with a smile upon his lips.

"I am to be queen, after all," Jasmine responded, her expression beaming alongside Lief.

"Will you marry me?" Lief finally asked.

It was in that moment that Lief first witnessed the love that Jasmine held so dear to her heart upon her beautiful visage.

"I will."

* * *

Thanks for reading!

I never believed that Lief would ask Jasmine to marry him knowing that she hated being cramped up inside the palace. I especially did not believe that Jasmine would stay unless she wanted to, and so I wondered: what reason could she possibly have? Thus, this one shot was created. I hope you all enjoyed!

Please review!


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